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Introduced Version House Bill 4607 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 4607


(By Delegates Ellem, D. Poling,

Azinger and Anderson)


[Introduced February 22, 2010 ; referred to the

Committee on Health and Human Resources then Finance.]




A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §16-41A-1, §16-41A-2, §16-41A-3, §16-41A-4, §16-41A-5, §16-41A-6, §16-41A-7, §16-41A-8 and §16-41A-9, all relating to establishing the Oral Health Pilot Program in the Mid-Ohio Valley Region; making legislative findings; creating the pilot program for two years; funding the program in the amount of $100,000 per year; setting forth the services to be provided; setting forth the fees to be paid to participating dentists; setting forth a sliding scale for the fees to be paid by clients; requiring reports be filed to the Governor and the Legislature; and defining terms.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated §16-41A-1, §16-41A-2,
§16-41A-3, §16-41A-4, §16-41A-5, §16-41A-6, §16-41A-7, §16-41A-8 and §16-41A-9, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 41A. ORAL HEALTH PILOT PROGRAM IN THE MID-OHIO VALLEY REGION.

§16-41A-1. Legislative findings.
(a) The Legislature of the State of West Virginia determines and finds the State of West Virginia has a tremendous unmet need for low-income adult dental care services. West Virginia ranks at the top of the United States for adults that have lost all of their natural teeth, periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that affects three out of four people and tooth decay is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted from person to person. There is a connection between poor oral health and general health and poor oral health can become a chronic infection, affecting the heart, lungs, and can lead to diabetes and premature births. Most dental disease can be prevented and poor oral health becomes an economic issue when adults cannot work due to pain, infection and tooth loss.
(b) The Legislature finds that large scale dental health programs have been successful at treating West Virginians who would otherwise not have dental health care. Successful oral health programs, such as the Missions of Mercy, while helpful to many, are neither financially nor logistically sustainable. To that end, the Legislature concludes that it is in the best interest of the public to establish and fund a full-scale oral health program to address the state's ongoing oral health problem.
§16-41A-2. Definitions.
For purposes of this article the following terms have the following meanings:
(a) "Program" means the pilot oral health program administered by the commission with the goal of improving the oral health of citizens of West Virginia and evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
(b) "MOVHD" refers to the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department in Wood County, West Virginia.
(c) "Client" means a person whose income does not exceed two hundred fifty percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and who receives services of the program.
(d) "Participant" means an unpaid volunteer dentist offering dental services as a part of the program.
(e) "Services" means assessments by a dental hygienist, dental X rays, tooth restoration or other routine dental services performed by a dentist.
§16-41A-3. Oral health pilot program.
In accordance with section one, article one, chapter sixteen of this code, the Legislature establishes an pilot oral health program in the MOVHD region to improve the oral health of the citizens of West Virginia and to evaluate the effectiveness of that program.
§16-41A-4. Funding.
The Legislature funds the program in the amount of $100,000 each year for a two-year period beginning July 1, 2010.
§16-41A-5. Administration.
Money appropriated to the program shall be administered by MOVHD. MOVHD is responsible for coordinating efforts with participants, and reporting to the Governor and Legislature the status and progress of the program. MOVHD is responsible for administering the finances of the program.
§16-41A-6. Reimbursement to participants.
Participants will be reimbursed by MOVHD $40 per Client to recover the cost of staff and supplies. Participants shall be covered by the liability insurance policy of MOVHD.
§16-41A-7. Client fees.
MOVHD shall assess clients a fee for services performed according to their income using the following sliding-scale:
(1) Clients who earn one hundred percent of the FPL and below shall pay no fee;
(2) Clients who earn one hundred one percent to one hundred fifty percent of the FPL shall pay twenty-five percent of the fiftieth percentile fee for the geographic region;
(3) Clients who earn one hundred fifty-one percent to two hundred percent of the FPL shall pay fifty percent of the fiftieth percentile fee for the geographic region.
(4) Clients who earn two hundred one percent to two hundred fifty percent of the FPL shall pay seventy-five percent of the fiftieth percentile fee for the geographic region.
§16-41A-8. Two-year duration of program.
The program shall be funded for two years, unless sooner terminated by the Legislature, beginning on July 1, 2010.
§16-41A-9. Reports and recommendations.
The MOVHD shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the progress of the program, whether it should be continued or discontinued, any recommended modifications in the program's scope and mission and whether any action is necessary by the Legislature to improve the success of the program. At the end of the pilot program, MOVHD shall make a final report to the Governor and the Legislature as to whether the goals of the program were met and recommend whether or not the program shall be expanded statewide, with specific recommendations for program support and administration, development and other relevant policy issues.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish the Oral Health Pilot Program in the Mid-Ohio Valley Region. The bill makes legislative findings and creates the pilot program for two years. The bill funds the program in the amount of $100,000 per year. The bill sets forth the services to be provided, the fees to be paid to participating dentists and the fees for clients. The bill requires reports be filed to the Governor and the Legislature. The bill also defines terms.

This article is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.
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